Slide detector

• US 6,571,627 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2001
• Issued: 06/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yasuda, Atsushi, Tsuda, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Kwok, Helen
• Assistant Examiner(s): FRANK, RODNEY T
• Application Number:
  US09/977,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 732/90.R, 733/05, 733/17
• US Class Current: 73/317
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/36 using electrically actuated indicating means G01F23/38 takes precedence

Abstract

In a slide detector, a contact member provided on a slider is made of gold or a gold alloy including an abrasion resistant metallic component, and a plurality of electrodes provided on an electric insulating board is made of a silver alloy including glass. Preferably, the contact member sliding on the electrodes is made of a gold alloy consisting of 99% by weight of gold and 1% by weight of cobalt, so that an anti-sulfurization and an abrasion resistance between the contact member and the electrodes is ensured. However, the weight percent of gold and other alloys may vary depending upon the abrasion characteristics desired.

Claims

1. A slide detector comprising:

a board;

a resistive layer provided on the board;

a plurality of electrodes arranged to extend from the resistive layer on the board; and

a slider having a contact member which slides on the plurality of electrodes, the slider being disposed on the board or a stationary member near the board,

wherein the plurality of electrodes are made of a silver alloy including glass, the contact member is made of a material containing gold and when the contact member slides on the electrodes, the material of the contact member adheres, as a film, to surfaces of the electrodes on which the contact member slides and which include the glass included in the electrodes.

3. The slide detector according to claim 1, wherein the silver alloy including glass further comprises an alloy of silver including glass and palladium.

4. The slide detector according to claim 1, wherein the gold alloy further comprises gold and an abrasion resistant metallic component, the gold content being not less than 98% by weight and not more than 99.5% by weight.

5. The slide detector according to claim 4, the abrasion resistant metallic component to be selected from the group consisting of cobalt, palladium, and nickel.

6. The slide detector according to claim 1, the gold alloy containing 98% by weight of gold.

7. The slide detector according to claim 1, the gold alloy containing 99% by weight of gold.

8. The slide detector according to claim 1, the gold alloy containing 99.5% by weight of gold.

2. A slide detector comprising:

a board disposed in a fuel tank of a vehicle which contains liquid fuel having a sulfide component;

a resistive layer provided on the board;

a plurality of electrodes arranged to extend from the resistive layer on the board;

a slider having a contact member which slides on the plurality of electrodes, the slider being disposed on the board or a stationary member near the board; and

a float displaced in accordance with a displacement of a surface of the liquid fuel in the fuel tank, the float being connected to the slider,

wherein the slider has the contact slide on the electrodes in accordance with the displacement of the float, and

wherein the plurality of electrodes is made of a silver alloy including glass and the contact member is made of gold or a gold alloy, and when the contact member slides on the electrodes, the material of the contact member adheres, as a film, to surfaces of the electrodes on which the contact member slides and which include the glass.

9. A slide detector comprising:

a board;

a resistive layer provided on the board;

a plurality of electrodes arranged on the board to extend from the resistive layer; and

a slider having a contact member which slides on the plurality of electrodes, the slider being disposed on the board or a stationary member near the board,

wherein the plurality of electrodes is made of a silver alloy including glass, and the contact member is made of gold or a gold alloy including an abrasion resistant metallic component, and when the contact member slides on the electrodes, the material of the contact member adheres, as a film, to surfaces of the electrodes on which the contact member slides and which include the glass.

10. A slide detector comprising:

a board disposed in a fuel tank of a vehicle which contains liquid fuel having a sulfide component;

a resistive layer provided on the board;

a plurality of electrodes arranged to extend from the resistive layer on the board;

a slider having a contact member which slides on the plurality of electrodes, the slider being disposed on the board or a stationary member near the board; and

a float displaced in accordance with a displacement of a surface of the liquid in the fuel tank, the float being connected to the slider,

wherein the slider has the contact member slide on the electrodes in accordance with the displacement of the float, and

wherein the plurality of electrodes is made of a silver alloy including glass, and the contact is made of gold or a gold alloy including an abrasion resistant metallic component, and when the contact member slides on the electrodes, the material of the contact member adheres, as a film, to surfaces of the electrodes on which the contact member slides and which include the glass.

11. The slide detector according to claim 10, wherein the silver alloy including glass further comprises palladium.

12. The slide detector according to claim 11, wherein the abrasion resistant metallic component is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, palladium, and nickel.